KEVIN Cooper sends his young players into an under-21 South Wales derby tonight when Swansea City come to Cardiff City Stadium (7pm).

KEVIN Cooper sends his young players into an under-21 South Wales derby tonight when Swansea City come to Cardiff City Stadium (7pm).

Former Bluebirds midfield player Cooper is Cardiff’s under-21 development team coach, working closely with Malky Mackay and new Academy manager Dick Bate.

Defender Ben Nugent, 18, was among Cardiff’s substitutes for their 2-1 Championship home win against Hull City, while he will captain the young Bluebirds against Swansea.

Stephen McPhail will continue his progress towards full fitness by playing as one of the over-age players allowed, while promising youngsters Nat Jarvis, Jesse Darko, Kevin Saint Luce, Theo Wharton, Tommy O’Sullivan, Declan John and Adedeji Oshilaja are also likely to be involved.

Mackay and Cooper are also likely to include a couple of other first team squad players who need a match alongside McPhail, while new young pros Ronnie Hawkins and Luke Coulson will both be included.

Midfield player Hawkins has joined Cardiff from Spurs, while full-back Coulson had made the switch from Manchester City.

Derby-born Cooper, 37, is a key member of Mackay’s coaching staff, having returned to the UK after launching the 1MalaysiaCardiffCity grassroots project in the Far East.

There are now a number of youth leagues operating in Malaysia thanks to the work of Cooper and other coaches, while he says: “The youngsters in Malaysia are massively passionate about their football.

“They are keen to play all the time.”

Cooper, a former team-mate of Mackay when they were at Norwich City, made almost 400 first team appearances during a playing career which also took him to Derby, Stockport, Wolves, Sunderland, Cardiff and Yeovil.

Tonight’s opponents Swansea lie bottom of the table, while Cardiff are three points ahead with a game in hand.